This collection of literature attempts to compile many of the classic, timeless works that have stood the test of time and offer them at a reduced, affordable price, in an attractive volume so that everyone can enjoy them.

For anyone who has considered spending their retirement sailing, this book has plenty of advice. Even at a young age both Sylvia and I wanted to sail the oceans of the world and when that chance came we didn't hesitate. We sold all we owned to enable us to experience different cultures and the beauty of the South Pacific. Along the way we met other cruisers of all age groups and nationalities, so it seems for us the sea has become a great leveller. Our voyage began with optimism for us both and we were aware of the dangers ahead. We started from Tauranga on the east coast of the North Island in the Bay of Plenty and sailed up to the Kerikeri Marina in Bay of Islands, then after careful preparation Sun Chaser and crew left New Zealand bound for the Fijian Islands. Whilst sailing around these colourful islands we encountered things both good and bad. We found corruption and theft but also the abundant wild life that most people only see on TV or read about. We learned a lot and have included many handy hints at the back of the book. Full colour photos throughout.

An action packed account of the voyages by the author, his family and friends over twenty years and 60,000 miles in a home-made yacht in the Atlantic, Mediterranean, Red Sea and Indian Ocean. With its fair share of unexpected adventures, violent weather and hilarious episodes, sometimes in pirate infested waters, this is a good read for anyone, especially those thinking of going cruising, at sea now, or who have let go the rope's end.

During their two-and-a-half-year circumnavigation aboard the sloop Maverick, Tony Johnson and Terry Shrode survived a number of harrowing engagements with the forces of nature. In Tahiti, a midnight gale caused Maverick to fetch up on a dangerous coral reef. In Indonesia, faulty navigational charts, heavy winds and high seas led the crew to run the boat aground. And thirty miles from a safe landfall after a twenty-one day Atlantic crossing, water in the bilge triggered the discovery that the hull had begun to tear itself apart. Only a heroic effort by the skipper and first mate kept them from sinking within sight of land. Along with tales of adventure, the Captain's chronicle contains accounts of natural wonders including orangutans in the wild, observed on a dreamlike jungle excursion up the Kumai River in Borneo, and the nighttime Arabian Sea glowing ghostly white from horizon to horizon, the result of a rare bloom of phosphorescent plankton. Woven through the journal are revealing and sometimes surreal encounters with a host of fascinating characters including native guides, fellow cruisers, and would-be pirates. These cross-cultural experiences assume added poignancy in the period following the World Trade Center attack, when, despite the warnings of family and friends, Tony and Terry decide to carry on with their voyage through the heart of the Islamic world and fly the American flag. Sections on Odysseus, Drake, Columbus, Plato, Socrates, bullfighting in Spain, Mediterranean geology, and Junior Walker and the All-Stars ensure that the book will satisfy the reader's wanderlust for cultural and intellectual, as well as nautical, adventure.

This delightful book describes the adventures of a fascinating and fearless couple who have decided - in middle age- that life has more to offer them than their regular day jobs. With only $200 in their pockets as they sailed their classic wooden sailboat into Puerto Vallarta and without work permits, they began making a few pies in the back streets of this Mexican Coastal Resort which lead to the founding of Mexico's most famous and delicious American dessert bakery- Pie in the Sky Bakery - in 1987. Their journey takes them from Mexico to Australia and many points between, always making it up as they go along. They find friendship, fulfillment, and community everywhere they go, and manage to make a living while doing it. We will hear tales of life on an island in southern Brazil. Live through two hurricanes on their sailboat in the Caribbean and see what happens to them when they try to franchise their handmade bakery concept down in Australia. More adventures await them in Florida, San Francisco not to mention Panama's Expat haven Boquete - where they bought a defunct coffee farm - all in their search for a special place to live outside the US. Their tales will inspire you with their optimistic view of life. Much more than a traditional travelogue; the final chapter detailing the life lessons learned along the way is priceless.

Essential Sculling is an authoritative, concise, and thoroughly readable handbook that focuses on helping anyone become an accomplished sculler. Here, Daniel J. Boyne offers the finest instruction - for men and women alike - on the art and skill of rowing, including: identifying and buying a well made boat; beginner and advanced technique; boat-handling skills; drills for blending technique and power; training for competition; the mechanics of rigging; the value of camps and coaches; and much more. With clear descriptions and illustrations throughout, Boyne teaches a healthy respect for both the tradition of sculling and the precise beauty of its execution.

This is a true story. A humdinger of an argument lurches Alana into a vision which is beyond her wildest dreams. Seeing a romantic couple drinking champagne on a yacht, canoodling and eating the faces off of each other; the green eyed monster rears its ugly head. Most women buy shoes or clothes to console themselves after a tiff but Alana sees a 70,000 yacht. Does she buy it? Alana tells this true, hilarious at times story, her life, her journey, her mayhem. Do you have a sense of fun, like a giggle, don't take life too seriously? Then read this. When, where, how does it all end?

'Cruising Bulgaria and Romania' aims to encourage many more yachtsmen to discover the pleasures of cruising the Lower Danube and the western Black Sea, to visit the ports and harbours (both antique and modern) and the miles of unspoilt beaches in these fascinating areas. For the visiting yachtsman, the cruising areas of Bulgaria and Romania, the River Danube, parts of the Black Sea coast, and (in Romania) the Danube delta (a special area in its own right), offer an interesting diversity. Despite being close geographical neighbours, Bulgaria and Romania are culturally very different. Bulgaria shares the Orthodox religion and Slavic cultural roots of Russia and Serbia, whereas Romania is a country with Latin cultural traditions similar to other western Mediterranean countries. Srebarna Lake, the North Romanian Black Sea coast, Kamchia and Strandja and the Danube Delta are internationally important as nature reserves and as homes to some rare and endangered species. The River Danube is one of Europe's most ancient thoroughfares, but between Vienna and Bratislava the number of vessels on the river drops dramatically and the area is still relatively unknown to foreign boats. Nicky Allardice has lived and worked in both countries and his guide is based on extensive first-hand experience.

20,000 Leagues Over the Bounding Main is meant for the enjoyment of not only aspiring, active duty and retired military personnel, but also nostalgia lovers. Relive the times when human intelligence, creativity and imagination - not computers - dominated and "political corrections" was a joke Will also make a great gift.